HOLY TERROR

Killer praye in his mosque after the first brutal attack | 24 hrs later, he launched second fatal assault on man

- JOHN HAND

A DOUBLE killer went to pray after he had brutally murdered the first of two men, the Irish Mirror can reveal. 

Yousef Palani, 23, went to his local mosque in Sligo, during Ramadan at the time, just hours after he slayed businessman Aidan Moffitt at his home at Cartron Heights in the town on April 10 last year.

At Dublin’s Central Criminal Court yesterday, he pleaded guilty to the murders of Mr Moffitt, 42, and of 58-year-old Michael Snee just two days later. The Irish Mirror can also reveal €250,000 in cash was discovered linked to Palani.

The money is currently subject of a Criminal Assets Bureau investigation.

Palani also pleaded guilty to intentionally harming another man at Cleveragh Road in Sligo on April 9 last year.

That attack and the double murder stunned the nation.

Mr Moffitt and Mr Snee were described as well respected and liked in the local community.

Palani – who had never come to garda attention before – contacted his victims through a social media app in the local area.

CCTV near Mr Moffitt’s home showed the killer arrive and leave on a bike.

Just hours afterwards, Palani was spotted at his local mosque praying and was described as acting as if “nothing had happened”. Mr Moffitt’s body was discovered by gardai the following day, on the evening of April 11.